TULSA, Okla.  Friday was a special day for Kevin Van Dam for a lot of reasons.

Most importantly, from a personal perspective, was that his twin boys turned 16. On the business side, the fishing side, Van Dam fished his way to the top of the leaderboard at the 43rd Bassmaster Classic presented by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

Van Dam went in armed with the confidence of knowing Grand Lake of the Cherokees as well as any of the other 52 anglers in the Classic. And then there was the chilly weather and frigid water. Being from Kalamazoo, Van Dam knows cold. Van Dam, we all know, knows fish, too.

“This is like Michigan weather,” said Van Dam prior to going out and tying for the unofficial lead at the Bassmaster Classic with five bass totaling over 20 pounds (releasing at least 11 totaling 19 pounds, 4 ounces). “This is a test of the best and if we weren’t challenged in this it wouldn’t be the Classic.”

Hank Cherry, a Classic rookie from Maiden, N.C., and a long shot to win here, tied Van Dam with 20 pounds, unofficially. Michael Iaconelli, who won the 2003 Classic, was in third with 18 pounds, 4 ounces. Former San Diegan Dean Rojas was in 26th with 10-12.

Van Dam is trying to do something no one in pro bass fishing has ever done before. He and Rick Clunn are tied for most Classics with four. It took Van Dam 11 years to win his first, but he has won four in the last 12 years. This is his record 23rd consecutive Classic.

“I don’t take it for granted to be here and to qualify for it,” Van Dam said. “It’s a huge accomplishment just to get here at the Classic. To me, it’s special every year, and it’s something I always look forward to.”

Van Dam said this Classic was like a “hometown” Classic because his sponsors, Dynamics Sponsorships and Quantum, are here, but more importantly his wife and boys and many family members.

It goes even deeper because not only is the field dealing with the original Van Dam, but the man Mike Iaconelli called “The Machine” has a nephew who qualified, too. And he had a pretty good day.

Jonathon Van Dam, also of Kalamazoo, was recorded with five bass totaling 11-12 by BASSTrakk, the catch monitoring system run by observers on the 53 boats. He learned many of his fishing lessons from his famous uncle, who believes his nephew has a promising career ahead of him.

“I watched Jonathan grow up, and he always liked to fish, but that fundamental change in his passion for it occurred as a teenager,” Kevin Van Dam said. “For me, I had it at a really young age. It’s all I wanted to do. But when Jonathon turned 15 or 16 years old, that’s when it happened for him. And now, to see him get to this level, he’s worked at it. He won at the Open level. He won an Elite Series, and that’s how he qualified. To win an Elite in the second year of the Elite Series is quite an accomplishment.”

The younger Van Dam will have to work to stay in the field when it’s cut to 25 anglers for Sunday’s finale, but he’s in position.

“Growing up and cheering for Kevin and going to the Classic with him, it’s always been a dream of mine to be here fishing,” Jonathon Van Dam said. “It’s really kind of a surreal feeling to be standing here and seeing him over there in his boat and me in mine.”